... and another change of car

This morning we were up and out early, as we dashed off to Colchester to get the latest car. I've been and seen it and driven it last week. It seemed OK, and didn't exhibit any problems. We agreed the window would be fixed, and it would have road tax for six months. We also agreed a payment method. So Andy was contacted and told that the machine had arrived, so they can do 'Chip & PIN' payments. All very good, all very secure. Andy's on a tight schedule. We arrive a little before 10am. The site is locked. Andy phones the man, and he says 5 minutes, same as last week it took 15.

We go through the registration information and sign the forms and then the machine is validated by the service providers (why wasn't this done during the week?). We pay the money - and I have to answer all sorts of security questions from the Halifax - because 'Chip & PIN' is clearly so secure!

The car was left open last night, and the battery is flat. The booster device is flat. Its started from a normal jump start. The battery post does not connect to the car properly, and I have to tell them how to fix it. While all this is happening, I notice that the tax isn't there. He'll have to go and get it!! The engine management light comes on - probably because of the fiddling with the battery. The idle speed is not being managed properly, at idle the car is about to stall, and is caught by the engine management system, revs are applied to about 1200 rpm, and the cycle repeats.

Andy sits in the car and says, "A new car is supposed to be exciting, not disappointing. This was supposed to solve my problems, not add to them". He's right, of course. The whole experience leaves him flat, dejected almost. It has a similar effect on me. Driving home he brightens up a bit, but is listening to every tiny sound, and worried about different smells.

The problems are not consistent, sometimes after starting the car it's fine, others it isn't.

The problem with so many in the business world is their lack of effort, lack of customer focus. In one sense you pay for what you get, in another they get only what they work for.

A disappointing morning.

Let's hope this one lasts longer than the previous two, here's the last one.